Lenora and the Hidden World
by Brightfire15
Summary: Sequel to "How Lenora Defends Berk." In the last 10 years since Drago's death, in between raising her children and leading the people of Berk, Lenora has almost achieved a perfect worldwide utopia for dragons and humans. Dragon trappers are almost extinct. But will the arrival of Grimmel Grisley, the last and worst dragon killer, crush that dream and future forever? Read & Review!
1. Ten Years Later

**Lenora and the Hidden World **

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**HTTYD **_

_**A/N: I'd like to dedicate this story to the loving memory of Munchkin, my best friend and beloved cat of over 20 years who recently passed away. This story's for you, buddy! **_

**Ten Years Together**

The night was dark with neither a star nor the moon to shine and light the way, chilly with the promise of winter, so foggy it could be cut with a knife and far too quiet to be normal—all signs and omens of trouble, which was ignored by the guards of a ship carrying forbidden cargo in the south of the sea. The ship was carrying dragons to be sold to the three remaining dragon conquerors of the world—Griselda the Grievous, Ragnar the Rock, and Chaghatai Khan, all of whom were very dangerous despite their waning if not almost nonexistent power in the world and were wanted all over the world for their crimes against both humanity and dragons.

As said before, the omens the weather foretold were ignored—something the guard soon wished he hadn't done when, during his patrol of the ship, he came across a woman in black carrying a sword ignited with powerful flames.

"Who…_what _are you?" hissed the guard.

The woman in black held a finger to her lips, gesturing for the guard to be quiet. "Shh."

Hairs prickled on the back of the guard's neck as he suddenly realized he wasn't alone and when he turned around, he became alarmed to see Toothless behind him. The Night Fury's spikes were glowing bright blue and an angry growl emitted from his throat as he stalked the guard.

Taking advantage of the guard's distraction, Lenora quickly disarmed him and in the process, sent his lantern flying down onto the ship, igniting the floorboards. It should've set her aflame, but instead, she walked through it without a scratch, much to the guard's horror and confusion.

"Ahh! You're a demon!"

The woman groaned and shook her head before lifting her face mask, revealing the face of Lenora Valka Horrendous Haddock the Third. Knowing as not only the Chieftess of Berk but also a savior of dragons and the one who showed the way for a better world and life between humans and dragons.

"I'm not a demon, you big baby! I'm just a human," said Lenora, scoffing in annoyance. A demon? Really? Just how stupid was this guy? "A human who's here to rescue these dragons and arrest you. So, would you please lower your voice?"

The guard accepted this but still looked frightened and puzzled. "Wait a second, I know you. You're the infamous Lenora Haddock! But wait, if you _aren't _a demon, how're you walking through the fire?"

Lenora rolled her eyes. Apparently, he _was _that stupid. "Can't you see what my clothes are made of?" Lenora was wearing armor made of special fireproof black leather and Night Fury scales. "Dragons shed a lot and they're fireproof, so I sewed it into my outfit." It was a genius idea of one of her daughters, actually, one that had proven quite useful over the years.

Before the guard could reply, Snotlout and Firewyrm suddenly landed onto the boat, fires blazing as per usual.

"Think that entrance was good? Check out mine!" But Snotlout's moment was ruined when the backside of his clothes caught fire and he yelped in pain.

"Ack! More demons!" shrieked the guard.

Lenora pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head in weariness. "No, actually. Just my braindead cousin who forgot to fireproof his backside." How many times had Lenora warned Snotlout to check every inch of his armor before a raid? How many times? It made her wonder if Snotlout was ever going to stop being a first-class idiot.

Right on cue, or before they were signaled for as the case actually one, the twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnut appeared on their shared dragon, Smoke and Sparks with a rather explosive entrance

"Behold, your worst nightmare and his sister who insisted on coming!" said Tuffnut, sounding both dramatic and sarcastic, much to Ruffnut's chagrin.

"Really? _That's _my introduction?" said Ruffnut, annoyed.

Lenora whistled for their attention. "Guys, how many times do I have to tell you? _Too soon!_ Why do you always have to come in too soon?" Would it kill the twins to come in when they were supposed to and not before for once in their stubborn little lives?

To further Lenora's irritation, Fishlegs slammed onto the deck of the ship too early and carrying one of Puffskin's grandbabies in his sack, who clearly liked the whole crashing experience.

"Fishlegs! _Again _with the baby? This is a raid, for Thor's sake!" said Lenora, in exasperation. No hatchlings or human minors were allowed on missions. How hard was that to remember? But no, for the past several missions, Fishlegs had been bringing baby Gronckle dragons with him, which was an inconvenience as well as dangerous.

"Sorry, I couldn't find a sitter!" said Fishlegs, apologetically.

By now the guard was petrified and convinced of the worst, having never seen people wearing spiky dragon skin armor or people armed with strange weapons.

"DEMONS EVERYWHERE! IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD!" shrieked the guard. He was about to raise the alarm but fortunately Aster, Lenora's husband, dropped in and knocked out the guard, shutting him up.

"Wasn't this supposed to be a _stealth _mission?" asked Aster, as he raised an eyebrow.

Lenora shrugged. "They always _start _that way." But for all their careful planning and good beginnings, all Ragnarok usually broke loose sooner rather than later.

Aster shook his head. "Pity. Well, let's get to work."

The mission was a bit of a screwup so far, but at least no one else knew they were there for now.

Immediately, the riders began freeing the imprisoned dragons from their cages and binds.

"_Shh, it's okay, little one,_" assured Lenora, in dragonese, to a young blue she-dragon, who cowered and whimpered in fear. Over the years, Lenora had learned that speaking to the dragons in their own tongue calmed them quicker as they felt a comforting reassurance in hearing it. "_My name is Lenora, I'm with the Alpha dragon. You're safe and we're going to take you to a haven, I promise._"

Upon seeing Toothless and hearing Lenora's name, the little dragon purred and relaxed. "_The Light of Berk and the Alpha! I knew you'd come for us. I knew it!_"

Lenora smiled as she freed the dragon of its bonds and stroked its soft nose. The reputation she and Toothless shared as saviors of dragons had spread far and wide over the years to both humans and dragons, granting them much-needed trust in their mission to protect and care for the two races.

The moment was interrupted, however, when more guards suddenly showed up out of nowhere. "ATTACK! GET THE NIGHT FURY!"

"Aster, Ruffnut, get the dragons! Snotlout, Fishlegs, with me!" ordered Lenora.

While Aster and Ruffnut set on freeing the prisoners with the help of their dragons, Lenora and the others provided cover fire and fought off the remaining guards and trappers. Before the long, the guards had dropped like flies and the guards were all locked in the cages they'd used against the dragons. With all the dragons freed and the men arrested, the mission was completed.

"What now, Lenora? What do we do with our catches?" asked Fishlegs.

"Those lot are to be taken to Outcast Island as I promised Alvin to be imprisoned, Snotlout and the twins will transport them there," said Lenora, as she glared darkly at the cowering criminals. They'd made the mistake of capturing one of Alvin's own dragons and as such, would pay dearly for it by Alvin and his men. "As for the dragons, you take them to their homes or maybe Dagur's turf if necessary. There should be plenty of space and care for them there. We'll rendezvous back at Dragon's Edge for a rest before we head home. So, get on that."

"Right away."

And with that, the raiding party was divided up into their assignments. After a couple of days and some much-needed rest, the dragon riders arrived at their home, the island of Berk around noontime and not a moment too soon. The sight of it brought a smile to Lenora's face.

Any run-of-the-mill boasted of beaches and sunshine, but Berk had something no one else could ever touch. Berk had _dragons. _Now, granted, Berk had changed greatly over the years, but at the end of the day, it was and always would be Lenora's home. In Berk, she was surrounded by greatly-improved service and cuisine, people and dragons who loved her, and a wonderful life she'd built with the help of Toothless.

Upon seeing the riders flying towards home, a great horn was blown, signaling their arrival. Moments later, swarms of Berk's people came out to greet their Chieftess and the riders. Among them was Lenora's godfather and Berk's resident blacksmith, Gobber and his dragon Bonehead, and also her parents—Stoick and Valka, Berk's former leaders and their respective dragons, Skullcrusher and Cloudjumper.

The Haddock House had been added onto in the years since Valka's return to Berk, giving the growing family much-needed space and privacy. Although Stoick and Valka had long since retired and now spent much of their time acting as doting grandparents, they still had plenty of fight and consul in them, for which Lenora was immensely grateful for.

"Good to see you home, Nora. How was the raid?" asked Stoick.

Snotlout spoke before Lenora could reply. "Oh, it was great. I took on like a hundred trappers!"

"Nope, it was all because of me. They feared my big manly beard," argued Tuffnut.

Ruffnut rolled her eyes as she gave Tuffnut a shove. "Give it a rest!" Her twin's 'beard' was just his sandy dreadlocks braided together under his chin, something he'd done when a beard had failed to grow on his pale, pointy chin.

Lenora chuckled. Some things had changed in Berk in the last ten years. Some hadn't. When Fishlegs and Snotlout finally accepted that Ruffnut wouldn't choose either one of them, they gave up pursuing her. After some time passed, Fishlegs rekindled a flame with Heather and eventually married her. They had a young daughter by the name of Lavender, who had both her mother's looks and fierceness as well as her father's love of dragon lore and inquisitive personality.

Though it had taken a great deal of time, Ruffnut eventually won Eret's heart and hand. Oddly enough, the former dragon-trapper was leading a happy life as Ruffnut's husband and he especially loved caring for their twin children, Eret the Third and Hazelnut, both of whom were as gifted and crazy as their parents.

As for Snotlout, he was, unfortunately or fortunately as some considered the case to be, still unwed without children, though not for lack of trying. Tuffnut hadn't married either, though he was quite happy being a bachelor, preferring instead to fight with Snotlout for the position of 'the fun uncle' to the more rambunctious of Berk's children.

"Actually, I think the real hero of the day was Toothless," said Lenora, as she descended from her dragon's saddle. She then smiled brightly as she then began tickling Toothless under his chin while the Night Fury made happy, purring noises. "What would we do without you, O King of Dragons?"

"Well, no disrespect meant but we could train a little harder, that was kind of sloppy," said Aster. "As much as I love relying on our dragons, I think we do it a little _too _much and not enough on each other. We need to fix that."

Lenora nodded in agreement. The dragons were a gift from the gods in both their everyday lives and on the battlefield, but Aster had a point. Relying solely on one person or dragon as the case was, wasn't a good idea. They needed to find strength and aid in each other and elsewhere. Their lives might one day depend on it.

"Speaking of which, the dragons you rescued aren't coming here, are they?" whined Gobber.

While Gobber loved dragons as much as the next Berkian, the island was quite full. Some might've considered it overpopulated and too full had many dragons not chosen to leave the island to make their nests elsewhere in the world. At that moment, there was just the perfect balance between the two races and Gobber didn't wish to tip it.

Lenora shook her head as she descended from Toothless' saddle. "No, we sent them toward Mala and Dagur's turf and elsewhere," Though it seemed unfathomable considering how much they'd fought each other before, Lenora had not only become allies with Dagur but also deeply trusted friends.

Gobber sighed in relief. "Oh, thank Thor. We really don't have room for more—ack!" Gobber suddenly shrieked and jumped a foot as a small purple and gold dragon suddenly flew into Berk and landed in front of the old blacksmith. "A Hobgobbler followed you home?! You daft idiots! Don't you know they're bad luck? We're all cursed."

Valka rolled her eyes good-naturedly and laughed as she picked up the wee beastie. "Oh, don't be silly, Gobber. What harm could he possibly do? Besides, it's just one more dragon."

"One too many, if you ask me," grumbled Gobber.

"Oh, Gobber. Stop worrying so much," said Lenora, as she squeezed his shoulder. She glanced around, noticing some people were absent, as did Aster.

"Hey, Lenora, do you see—?"

Suddenly, the door of the Haddocks' house opened and four familiar voices cried out, "Mommy! Daddy! You're home!"

Lenora's face immediately brightened as she was then swarmed upon by her four children who hugged her so tight she almost couldn't breathe. But Lenora didn't care. It was all worth it just to hold her precious babies.

Though Lenora and Aster had initially planned to name their firstborn son and daughter Finn the Second and Valka the Second after Aster's uncle and Lenora's mother respectively, that plan had changed when their oldest children had been born looking quite different than expected.

The oldest of the twins and the heir to Berk was their daughter, Finna. She'd inherited not only her father's sapphire blue eyes, which could be bright as the sky on a sunny day or dark as a storm depending on her mood, but also his golden hair which she kept short for 'practical' reasons as she put it as well as Aster's rough-and-tough personality as well as his love for axes.

Her twin brother, Valor, was just the opposite. He'd taken on Lenora's soft emerald green gaze and kept his red-brown hair in a small braid. He had a quieter, softer personality compared to his twin sister which kept him out of trouble and when he wasn't pouring over books on dragon lore or his parents' journals containing stories of their adventures, he was drawing every dragon he could recall.

Their third child, younger by two years, was Zephyr. Surprisingly enough, she'd taken on Stoick's striking red hair and her great-grandfather's hazel eyes. And out of all of the Haddock children, Zephyr alone had inherited Lenora's love and brilliance for inventions. Like her mother, she was apprenticed to Gobber and spent much of her free time working on gizmos and gadgets to improve their lives.

Finally, there was Nuffink, two years Zephyr's junior. He was something of an oddity amongst his siblings in both looks and personality. He'd inherited not only Stoick's red hair but one of his eyes was blue and the other green. Sometimes, he could be quiet, had the best ideas for games with the other kids and very attentive to his elders, and other times he was loud, getting into trouble and trying to break rocks with his head like his grandfather had once done as a boy.

Though all four children were different from each other and were often a handful, Lenora and Aster loved every one of them more than words could say and encouraged them to follow their hearts and embrace their differences. Unlike Lenora, they would not grow up thinking they had to be like everyone else in order to fit in and be happy. They would be loved and cherished for who and what they chose to be, nothing less.

"Hey kids. We missed you so much. Were you good for Grandpa Stoick and Grandma Valka while we were gone?" asked Lenora.

"Yeah, yeah, we were good. But who cares? We want to hear about your trip! Did you have a good fight? How many trappers did you take down this time?" asked Finna, in excitement as she climbed up onto her father's shoulder.

"Don't be ridiculous. Forget the fight. What about the dragons you rescued? Any new species?" asked Valor, as he clutched his mother's black armored shoulder.

Zephyr shook her head and rolled her eyes. "You're _both _ridiculous. I want to hear how the modifications Mom and I made on the armor held up!"

"Why don't we just let _them _tell the story and find out?" whined Nuffink, as he pulled at his red hair. "Come on, tell us!"

Lenora and Aster both laughed at their children's antics before standing up and clutching their kids' hands.

"Why don't we talk about it over lunch? I'm starved," suggested Aster.

As they were quite hungry themselves, the children agreed and soon everyone was in the Great Hall, feasting on chicken, fish and vegetables and drinking goblets of Valka's homemade fruit juice while they told the story of their latest successful raid on the dragon trappers. Needless to say, the children loved the story and eagerly listened to every word. When the story was finished, the conversation was turned to more serious matters.

"While I'm glad the mission was a success, I think I speak for all of us when I say the sooner the trappers are permanently disbanded, the better," said Stoick, seriously.

Though they'd made a great deal of progress putting an end to those serving in said despicable profession, there were still a small number of enemies to be dealt with and they greatly concerned Stoick. Especially the three remaining warlords who had yet to be captured and imprisoned. The last thing he wanted was for his grandchildren to experience a great war like those who'd come before them. He wanted a better world with a better life for them.

Lenora nodded in agreement. "I know. But unless we're proven otherwise, I'm going to believe we can handle them, especially with Toothless being the Alpha and all." She wasn't being complacent as she'd learned the hard way to never let her guard down, but at the time same time, Lenora couldn't help but feel happy and content. "But Dad, in the meantime, let's just enjoy the moment. The dream's realized, not just for us but for everyone in the archipelago. We have a utopia, peace between dragons and humans for generations."

As she spoke, Lenora smiled fondly in the direction of her children, who'd chosen to scamper off to play with Toothless for a moment. After showering the kids with dragon kisses, the Night Fury was carrying them on a fun ride throughout the Great Hall while they squealed in delight. He was quite careful to keep them safe, too, as before the twins were born, Toothless had been asked to be one of the godfathers—a position he took quite seriously.

"Aye, I agree," began Stoick. He was immensely happy not having to worry about dragon raids and battles anymore, but that didn't mean everything was perfect or that they should let their guards down. "But—"

Gobber then interrupted. "But while we are very proud of you, lass, we wonder if maybe you should spend a little less time out there and a little more time here. I mean, after all, your generation's supposed to lead us old things into the future. Not to mention there's the kids to think about."

Before Lenora could reply, Eret son of Eret cleared his throat, looking serious as he diverted their attention. "My apologies for interrupting, but scouts spotted two more trappers up the strait."

Lenora sighed as she rubbed her eyes. She would defend dragons with her life but was a day off too much to ask for? Apparently so. Just as she was about to speak and lead a new rescue party, her children suddenly appeared by her side, having overheard Eret's words.

"You're not going back out again _already_, are you, Mom? You just got back!" whined Zephyr, as her siblings moaned in agreement.

Immediately, Lenora felt a pang of guilt as she quickly shook her head. She didn't mean to, but sometimes her role as a dragon rider and protector kept her away from Berk for a number of days, which sometimes took a toll on her kids. She needed to do something to fix that. The last thing she wanted was for her kids to think they had an absentee parent.

"No, sweetie, of course not. I'm staying here," assured Lenora, as her children cheered in delight. The dragons could make do without Lenora and Toothless for a little while. Her family needed her more right then and there. Still, the problem had to be fix. So, Lenora turned her head towards Eret. "Eret, would you mind…?"

Taking the hint, Eret nodded and ordered a patrol of extra riders to handle the problem, which gave Lenora a bit of relief.

The kids then all climbed into their parents' lap, sighing in contentment while their heads were stroked—a comforting gesture they all loved when their parents were home, even Finna. Lenora sighed as she looked to her father, who gave her a knowing, understanding look.

"I've been Chieftess and a parent for over ten years and I still don't know how you managed, Dad," said Lenora, softly. Lenora's life was so busy, between raising her children, leading her village and dragon riding, it was a miracle she was still sane. Arguably, her father and those who came before had it worse with the war between the dragons, which made her admire them all the more and sometimes, she wondered how her predecessors had managed it all and how she was supposed to. Granted, she had Aster and others to help her, but it felt so heavy and solely on Lenora's shoulders.

"One day at a time, Nora. One day at a time," said Stoick, gently. "Be thankful for each and every moment you have, for you never know when it'll end."

Needless to say, Lenora took her father's advice and as soon as lunch was over, she and Aster took their four children on a flight with Toothless and Brightscales for a family day out. It was a very happy, peaceful moment, one Lenora never wanted to end.

Despite some hiccups, a dragon-human utopia had emerged and soon all other threats would be stopped forever. What could possibly go wrong?

XXX

Meanwhile, far across the sea, on a barren desolate island in a corner of the world where few dared to tread because of the dangers it posed, a place that was almost always bitterly cold and the sun rarely shined for more than an hour or two, there lay the base of operations for the three remaining warlords and what remained of their minions.

At that moment, the base was being visited by a tale, pale slender man with silver hair, dressed in long, flowing black robes. He had with him a mighty sword and he walked with a loyal following of Deathgripper dragons, a very powerful and dangerous breed of dragons that had long turned traitor on their own kind. As punishment, they were shunned and hunted down to almost extinction, save their master's six. Despite the man's appearance, the man held a commanding, respecting presence as he walked, but nothing less was to be expected from Grimmel the Grisley—the sole remaining dragon hunter left and arguably, the most dangerous.

Grimmel sneered in disdain and contempt as he entered the warlords' base. Half a dozen dragons were being wrangled into cages, rather pitifully by the warlords' minions. Days ago, the warlords had requested an audience with him and he'd responded out of mild curiosity. So far, he was quite disappointed by the sight of them and what remained of their once-mighty operations.

At that moment, the warlords were listening to the tale of Ivar the Witless, the sole dragon trapper who'd escaped the Berkians' raid on their ship.

"The riders attacked us here at the Eastern Strait, and I won't be surprised if they get the next two on the Western," said Ivar, gesturing to the map as he spoke. "Given the state of our forces, I shouldn't wonder if we should give up this pursuit, my lords and lady."

"Well, fortunately that's not up to you, now is it, buffoon?" said Grimmel, catching their attention. A rather annoying smirk crossed his face as he took off his black hood. "My dear warlords and lady. How go your plans to conquer the world?"

Ragnar laughed and extended his arms, greeting Grimmel like a brother. "Grimmel, my old friend."

Grimmel held up a hand, refusing the friendly gesture before signaling for his Deathtrapper to pin the warlord to the ground.

"Over ten years since Drago's death and still your dragon army's a rather pitiful sight. And our once-thriving business is all but extinct. We are all the remains of our chosen profession," said Grimmel, shaking his head.

Thanks to the efforts of not only Lenora but all Berk's allies in the archipelago and beyond, those who called themselves dragon conquerors, hunters, trappers and the like were all but extinct save for that one little group. All others had been made an example of by being imprisoned for life or punished in a harsher way. It was good for the dragons and Berkians but not so much for the wicked men and women who sought to harm the dragons.

Griselda glared at Grimmel. "It's because of that girl, Lenora Haddock, the Chief of Berk. You can thank her for that."

Grimmel raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Stoick's daughter? The foolish little twit Drago was in love with?" He knew of Drago's obsession with Lenora all too well as the late dragon conqueror had rarely shut up about reclaiming her for his own. Grimmel had tried to dissuade Drago from pursuing Lenora to no avail, and it had cost Drago dearly.

Griselda angrily nodded. "That little brat's rallied the entire world against us and our kind. Everyone wants _peace _and _equality _with the dragons now. We're lucky to still have our lives and freedom, never mind our dragon army!"

"She and her peace-loving followers continue to raid our ships and steal our dragons," groaned Ragnar, as he struggled to get out from under the Deathgripper. "We have no allies nor the strength to take on Berk's allies in the archipelago and beyond."

Grimmel brushed a speck of dirt and dust off his black robe. "Hmm. That does sound like a nuisance." He snapped his fingers, signaling for his Deathtrappers to follow him, which they did. "But I'm in the business, however dwindling, of _killing _dragons, _not _retrieving them."

"But Grimmel—!" protested the warlords.

Grimmel refused to listen. "You've only yourselves to blame for this mess. You let that idiot girl gather up followers, both human and dragon alike and now even though she's got a fair amount of dragons all in one place, you can't hope to take her on." Grimmel wasn't a complete idiot. He knew all too well of Lenora's amassed strength. And despite Grimmel's own power and his thirst to conquer Berk's dragons, he didn't see how the risk could be worth the reward. "The risks are great, even for me. So, why bother me?"

"Because of the girl's strongest ally—the Alpha Night Fury," explained Ragnar. "He's protecting not only the girl, but also the rest of the dragon race."

Grimmel immediately froze in his tracks and his brow wrinkled in angry puzzlement. Lenora Haddock had a _Night Fury _at her side? And not just any Night Fury, an _Alpha? _How could such a thing be true? Surely, it couldn't.

"Not possible," he said, flatly.

Clearly enjoying Grimmel's sudden shift in mood, Griselda laughed. "Oh, but it _is. _Or haven't you heard? One of them slipped through your fingers, Grimmel, and quite a powerful one at that."

Grimmel glared darkly at Griselda and reached for his sword, only to be stopped by the third warlord. "Enough arguing. Look, Grimmel, the fact is, no one knows the Fury race better than you. The dragons follow the Alpha. So, we'll happily pay you to get the Alpha so we can get the dragons back. We've even got your favorite kind of bait. The best prize we've been able to keep from them."

Grimmel turned and his face lit up when he saw a female Light Fury, shimmering white with dusts of pale blue on her tail, cowering beneath her wings. She was injured from the warlords' cruel treatment and refused to look at her captors.

Grimmel's eyes glinted with interest. "A female, eh? And the Fury that Lenora rides is a lone male, you say?" When this was confirmed, Grimmel had a change of heart regarding the bargain. If he played his hand right, this could work out quite nicely. "Very well, we have a deal."

"Excellent, now shall we—look out!"

Suddenly, the biggest dragon burst out of its bindings and charged towards his cruel captors. Though he was able to destroy the Light Fury's cage, enabling her to escape, the dragon himself was not so lucky as Grimmel was able to swiftly subdue the winged creature with a dart containing a dangerous venom from his crossbow.

"The Light Fury's escaped!"

"Never mind her," said Grimmel, firmly, much to the confusion of the warlords. "I know where she'll go and she'll be invaluable to my plans. When all's said and done, the young Chieftess will bring me the Night Fury. Forget what I said before." His opinion regarding Lenora's strength and prowess had changed rather quickly in the last five minutes. "Berk doesn't have a _leader, _just a brainless little _child_."

A child that Grimmel intended to crush with his bare hands. No matter what it took.


	2. Light and Night

**Light and Night**

_A/N: To the loving memory of my sweet Munchkin purring in my ear as he slept on my pillow at night. I miss you, sweetie! _

XXX

_**Many years ago…**_

_The sun had just risen over Berk, casting away the inky black starry skin and bathing the island in a warm glow of pink and gold. Save for the sound of the odd bird squawking or cricket chirping in the distance, it was perfectly silent as it was too early for anyone to awake yet. _

_Anyone except for Stoick and tiny six-year-old Lenora, who sat comfortably in the crook of her father's large arm. Since Lenora was about to begin her apprenticeship to Gobber, Stoick had decided that it was time for them to have a little chat regarding Lenora's future and the legacy she carried_

"_Lenora, this is Berk. This is our home," said Stoick, as they gazed at the vast island. "It was the home of your grandparents and their grandparents before them. Seven generations of Vikings. Right now, it's my job as Chief to protect us but one day, when you're all grown up, that job will be passed on to you. Do you understand?"_

_Lenora suddenly felt very nervous. Despite her youth, she'd always known that as her father's child, she was destined to inherit his position as leader of Berk one day unless she chose to give it up to her rowdy cousin, Snotlout. But the way her father spoke of the job, the weight it carried suddenly felt great and Lenora silently wondered if she could handle it. Instead of saying this aloud, however, Lenora merely nodded and murmured, "Yes, Daddy."_

_Stoick smiled, pleased with her response before he continued. "It's very important, sweetheart, because out there—" He pointed a large finger at the horizon, far beyond what they could see. "—beyond the sunrise lies the home of the dragons. Not their island, but something far greater."_

"_Wow," breathed Lenora, amazed. There was a greater homeland for the dragons besides their famed island? Lenora couldn't believe it. Images of what it might be like danced in the little girl's mind._

_Stoick nodded in agreement. "Aye. Legend tells of ships that sailed too close to it, only to drop off at the edge of the world never to be seen again."_

_Lenora gasped in fright and suddenly clutched her father's arm tightly as if to make sure he wouldn't be one of those poor souls. Sometimes Stoick left with the ships to find the dragons' island and occasionally took longer than expected but he'd always come home safe and sound. The island of that not happening frightened Lenora more than words could say, for although they had their differences, Lenora loved her father dearly and had no desire to lose him, especially not now that her mother, Val, had recently passed away._

_Guessing her thoughts, Stoick's face softened with sympathy as he stroked his daughter's back with his free hand. "There, there, it's all right. I'm not going anywhere, I promise," he assured her. When Lenora smiled just a little through her sniffles and nodded, Stoick went on. "Now, some of the ships turned back and when they did, they told of a great waterfall and dragons guarding the entrance of a Hidden World, a land from which all dragons come from."_

"_Even Night Furies?" asked Lenora._

_Stoick chuckled and nodded. "Especially Night Furies."_

_Lenora shuddered. She'd heard it said that the most frightening enemy was the one not yet fully known or seen and that was the case with the Night Fury dragon. For it was the only dragon that had never been seen or caught by even the most experienced and dangerous of dragon slayers._

"_Those are scary," she murmured._

"_Well, don't you worry. One day, the Hidden World will be found and I'll personally see to it that it's sealed up so that people and dragons can fight no more and you can live in peace," promised Stoick, as he hoisted Lenora onto his shoulder. "Now, what say we go see a baker about preparing a treat for dinner tonight to celebrate your apprenticeship?"_

_Lenora squealed in delight and hugged her father's head tightly. "Yes, thank you, Daddy!"_

_**Present day…**_

It was nearing noon as Lenora made herself comfortable on her favorite lookout point in Berk. As the memory of Stoick telling her of the Hidden World washed over her, she smiled softly.

Despite best efforts from highly experienced sailors and dragon riders, the legend of the Hidden World had remained just that—a legend. No one in Lenora's acquaintance, be they a human or a dragon had ever found the Hidden World much less set foot in it. And although it was becoming more of a myth with every passing day, Lenora had been unable to get the Hidden World out of her mind lately. The wonder of discovering it and what it could do for the future of Berk and the dragons was proving impossible to ignore, like a sore tooth.

Life was peaceful and prosperous in Berk and the rest of the archipelago. They'd gotten a handle on the population problem and the dragon trappers were almost extinct. Everything was going so well. No reason to worry. But yet, Lenora couldn't shake the feeling that something big was going to happen, something that would shake Berk to the core, just like Drago's return had.

"_Lenora?_" crooned Toothless, nudging her arm, snapping her out of her thoughts. "_Are you okay?_"

Lenora nodded, as she pulled out her map and began looking over it. "I'm okay, bud. I just have a lot of my mind."

Toothless frowned for a moment before his face lit up. "_Maybe playing fetch would help?_"

Lenora laughed before taking a spare prosthetic leg out of her bag. For some reason, Toothless _loved _playing with her prosthetic legs. So much so that Lenora had designed a special spare so as to keep her good ones in good condition.

"You know, this wasn't meant to be your chew toy," she teased.

"_Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just throw it! Please?_" begged Toothless, as he wiggled with excited impatience.

"Your wish is my command."

And with that, Lenora tossed it as far as she could into the woods, causing Toothless to eagerly chase after it as fast as he could. No sooner had she done this, the sound of Brightscales' squawking hit her ears, causing Lenora to smile again as she looked up to see Aster fly in next to her.

"There you are. I've been looking for you all morning. So this is where you come to get away from Gobber," teased Aster, as he dismounted, allowing Brightscales to go off to play with Toothless.

Lenora feigned ignorance and shrugged her shoulders. "I have no idea what you're talking about." She then frowned when she noticed their children were absent. Normally when Aster and Lenora returned from a mission, the kids stuck to them for a few days like a leech. "Wait, where're the kids? I thought they'd be with you."

Yawning, Aster plunked down and wrapped an arm around his wife before answering. "Ordinarily, they would be, except Fishlegs told them about how we found Torch in the woods, so they decided they wanted to have an adventure like ours too. So, they begged me to let them go dragon hunting in the woods. I told them they could go if they gathered bark and herbs for Gothi at the same time. They'll be back for lunch. Honestly, I hope they don't find a dragon yet. I'm not ready for them to become riders quite yet."

Lenora chuckled at the look on Aster's face before she kissed his cheek. She understood Aster's feelings all too well. Once, killing a dragon meant you were one step closer to being grownup and being able to leave the nest (though nobody ever left Berk for good of their own choice) but now being dragon rider granted one that step in life. Finna, Valor, Zephyr and Nuffink were still very young children and had many years ahead of them before they reached adulthood, yes, but sometimes they seemed to be growing up far too quickly for their parents' likings.

"I know how you feel, love, but the truth of the matter is, we can't keep them this young forever. Besides, they're not going anywhere even if they do become riders. And another thing, do you really think we'd let them get into half the trouble we got into without us with them?"

"I guess not," agreed Aster. His wife was right as always. "So, anyway, enough about the kids. What's up with _you? _Something's been on your mind lately, I can tell."

Knowing Aster wasn't going to like it, Lenora hesitated for a moment before sighed and gesturing to her map. "When I was a kid, my dad told me an old mariner's tale about a secret land hidden on the edge of the world where dragons live totally out of reach."

Aster nodded in confusion, unsure where Lenora was going with this. "The Hidden World. I remember. So?"

"So, what if it's real? It could be the answer to a lot of problems," explained Lenora.

"How? By banishing the dragons there?" asked Aster.

Lenora shook her head, scowling. "What? No! Of course not." Banishing the dragons from Berk? What nonsense! The dragons were the heart of Berk and too precious for Lenora to even consider giving up. "I was thinking more along the lines of all of us _moving _there, humans and dragons alike."

Aster's jaw dropped. "You're not serious?" When Lenora nodded, Aster's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets and he looked like he might faint. "Lenora, are you insane? _Leave _our home of eight generations? The home your parents left us to protect? Our _children's _home? What in Thor's name would make you want to leave here?" he demanded.

Lenora threw up her hands in a placating gesture. "Hey, calm down. I didn't say I _wanted _to leave." Though Lenora loved to explore beyond the archipelago, at the end of the day, Berk was her home and she could never truly leave it. "It's just an idea."

Aster's face softened as he made himself relax. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I overreacted. I just don't understand why you think leaving's a good idea. Things are perfect right now. The dragon trappers are all but extinct, the population problem's getting under control and we have peace."

"That's just it. Things are _too _perfect right now," said Lenora, in frustration as she ran her fingers through her brown tresses. "I know it sounds crazy, I just…" She sighed again. "Right now, everything feels like it did before Drago showed up. Perfect and peaceful, like we're letting our guard down. And the other shoe's going to drop any minute. I can't shake the feeling that something's going to happen, Aster, something big. And if the Hidden World's a solution to that, then maybe we should consider it for the sake of the kids and the dragons."

Aster looked regretful as he pulled Lenora in close. "I'm sorry, I should've realized." He gently stroked her back in a comforting manner. It'd been over ten years since the incident with Drago and although Aster had moved passed it, he hadn't realized his wife hadn't completely. More importantly, Lenora's instincts were often spot on. So, if there was any truth in what she was thinking, then perhaps they did need to consider it.

"It's not your fault. How could you have known when I didn't say anything?" said Lenora, shrugging. "Look, the point is, I just want to be sure that everything's going to be okay, for their sakes. They're the future of Berk and they deserve the best life we can give them."

Was it so wrong to want to be sure that future was going to be a good one for the sake of not only Berk, but also the dragons and especially her children?

"And they _will_, because we'll do everything in our power to make sure that happens," promised Aster. "Sometimes I worry too, but in the end, whatever happens, whenever it does, we'll face it together just like we've always done. We'll stick together and see it through no matter what. Okay?"

Lenora nodded. "Okay."

She was still worried, but those worries were allayed a little thanks to Aster. Something big might be on the horizon, but at the same time, it might not be. But whatever happened, they would all face it together as one, humans and dragons, united as one, just like they'd always done

Lenora leaned in to kiss her husband's lips when suddenly, the sound of Zephyr's horn, one of her own making, hit their ears, causing the couple to pull away in worry. The horn had been made to notify Lenora and Aster if the kids found something important and/or an emergency, which meant it was rarely used and only when it was quite important. At the same time, Toothless and Brightscales immediately ceased their tug-of-war game and went on alert. They were as protective and caring towards their riders' children as Lenora and Aster and were immediately concerned.

"That's the kids. We need to go, now," said Lenora. Not waiting for a reply, she quickly pocketed her map and mounted Toothless before taking off.

Aster didn't hesitate, immediately following his wife's example, he quickly rose to his feet and mounted Brightscales, taking off after Lenora and Toothless' retreating form.

XXX

_**In the woods, several hours ago…**_

While their parents were at the lookout point, talking and doing 'boring' things, Lenora and Aster's children were busy hiking through the woods, gathering the requested medicines whilst hoping they might find some dragons of their own.

Finna poked her head out of a thick bush. "Find anything?"

"Yep. The best rock for head smashing," said Nuffink proudly, as he kicked a large grey stone the size of Toothless' head.

Finna rolled her eyes in exasperation. "I meant, did you find a dragon we could keep?"

Nuffink shook his head. "Nope."

Valor and Zephyr, who'd briefly gone in a different direction to grab a few of the rarer herbs, rejoined their siblings looked disappointed.

"Let me guess. Nothing?" said Finna. They'd only been out for an hour, but for kids that was a long time and quite discouraging.

"Nothing," confirmed Valor, as Zephyr nodded in agreement. "No new dragons, no adventure, nothing. It's quieter than Uncle Tuffnut's head out here."

Though the kids loved their aunts and uncles, they were well aware of the fact that some of their relatives were lacking in intelligence. Though they were wise enough to keep such things to themselves as one should.

Finna sighed in disappointment as she dusted herself clean of the leaves that'd stuck in her clothes. "Let's face it. We're _never _going to have an adventure like Mom and Dad did! Not until we're old and wrinkly like Gobber."

Suddenly, the sound of a dragon's pained moan, a new one that they hadn't heard before, echoed through the woods.

"Did you hear that?" whispered Zephyr, excitedly.

Zephyr's siblings nodded in excited agreement and then looked concerned.

"It sounded a bit like Toothless only different," said Valor, frowning. It was like singing a song that one knew in an entirely different key. "And I think it sounded like a female's voice."

"It also sounded hurt," said Nuffink, worriedly.

"We've got fish sandwiches for snack, the medicines and our waterskins. We can help it, I'll bet. Let's go find it and then call Mom and Dad," said Finna, taking the lead as she often did.

Finna's siblings nodded and followed the blond Viking through a deep, dark section of the woods for what seemed like ages until they came across something no one had ever seen before. A female Fury, white and sparkling like freshly fallen snow. She looked remarkably like Toothless except she had stubbier ears and no dorsal plates. The dragon lay in a ness of moss and leaves, injured and with her claws out in case of an attack.

Knowing better than to just blunder in and frighten an injured dragon as a wounded one was quite dangerous, the children wisely kept back, hiding themselves in tall grasses as they assessed the situation just like their parents had taught them.

"Wow," breathed Zephyr, her eyes wide in amazement. "Look how pretty she is!"

"She looks like Toothless, only different. What would you call it?" said Nuffink. "A _Bright _Fury?"

Finna frowned and shook her head. "Nah. A _Light _Fury."

The other three murmured in agreement before Zephyr asked who was going to approach the Light Fury first. Immediately, Finna voted for Valor as he spoke the best dragonese out of the four of them and his quiet nature made him the best candidate. Upon hearing this reasoning, Zephyr and Nuffink agreed, so Valor was given all the supplies and the lead.

Valor swallowed nervously. Though he'd been taught well by his parents on what to do in this situation and had often dreamed of it, he suddenly felt quite nervous about approaching a new, injured dragon. Still, he wasn't about to blow it, so Valor took out the fish sandwich from his bag and began slowly walking towards the Light Fury, keeping his head down as he did so to show respect.

"_Hello?_" said Valor, softly. "_Can you hear me, lady Fury?_"

The Light Fury's ears perked up upon hearing her language being spoken. "_What? Who's there? Who speaks my tongue?_" Cautiously, she lifted her tail, revealing beautiful eyes of frosted blue that immediately narrowed upon seeing Valor. "_A human! If you're here to take me back to that monster, I won't go without a fight!_"

Scared and defensive, the Light Fury opened her mouth to attack.

"_No, wait a second! I'm a friend!_" cried Valor, quickly as he knelt down and held out the fish. _"I'm not going hurt you, I promise! My siblings and I heard you crying in the woods and came to help you! My name is Valor Haddock, son of Aster and Lenora Haddock, dragon riders._"

The Light Fury immediately froze. "_Wait, Haddock? Lenora Haddock? The one I've heard protects dragons and rides a Night Fury? You're her offspring?_" She'd heard tales of Lenora from other dragons and her captors, tales of how a human and the Night Fury she rode had changed the lives of humans and dragons alike for the better and the Light Fury had always longed to meet them both.

Keeping his gaze down, Valor nodded. "_You're on Berk. No one will harm you here, I promise. We just want to help you get better._"

The Light Fury sighed in relief and she immediately relaxed. "_Thank the Alpha_," she murmured. Slowly, she approached Valor and then she nuzzled his arm with her nose. "_You can look up now. I'm sorry, little one. Tell your siblings it's okay to come now. It's no excuse, but I have suffered so much at the hands of humans and I just thought…_" her voice trailed off and she looked as though she might cry.

Valor looked up and smiled softly before gesturing for his siblings to join him. Gently, he placed his hand on the Light Fury's snout, causing her to purr before she then began munching on the offered fish sandwich, bread and all.

"_It's all right. We understand,_" said Valor. He gestured to his siblings, who were gazing in awe at the beautiful she-dragon. "_This is Finna, Zephyr and Nuffink. What's your name?_"

For a brief moment, the dragon looked surprised at being asked such a question by a human before she replied, "_Luna. My name is Luna._"

"Nice to meet you, Luna. Mind if we take care of your injuries? We found some herbs and berries that'll work quickly," said Finna, after Valor had translated.

Luna nodded and continued eating while the kids applied poultices of water, herbs and berries to her injuries. Thankfully, while the wounds were numerous, they weren't terribly serious or infected, which made their work that much easier. For the next several hours, the little group of five became good friends as they took care of each other and exchanged stories while also answering questions. By the time the lunch hour became near, Luna had not only completely healed of her wounds but she'd become very close with the kids, especially little Valor.

"_It's almost time for us to head back to the village. Come with us,_" urged Valor.

Luna hesitated and curled her tail around her legs. Though she knew she was safe and among friends, the idea of suddenly facing an entire village of people made Luna want to vanish into the sky as only a Light Fury could do.

"_I don't know…_" she said, timidly. "_It might be too soon._"

"Okay, what if we just bring our parents here? You could meet them and their dragons," offered Finna, after Valor had translated. "You'd like them, especially Toothless."

Luna frowned in puzzlement. "_Toothless?_"

"_Our mom's best friend, the Night Fury,_" explained Valor. "_The Alpha dragon. He may seem serious, but he's a real goofball underneath it._"

Luna's face lit up. _"I've heard of him. Does he like to draw in the sand with sticks?_"

The children nodded.

"_If he is who I think he is, then yes. Please,_" said Luna, sounding hopeful and desperate.

"Okay, we'll bring them here. Zephyr?" said Finna.

Nodding, Zephyr took her horn out of her bag and blew it. A few moments later, Aster and Lenora arrived on their dragons, looking concerned.

"We heard your call. What's—oh, my gods," exclaimed Lenora, shocked as she gazed at the beautiful shimmering dragon.

Aster was also speechless at the sight of the Fury dragon. For years, it'd been believed that the Furies of the dragons were extinct, save for Toothless. To suddenly find another of that dragon species, and one so unlike anything they'd ever seen before was truly astonishing.

"Mom, Dad, this is Luna. She's a Light Fury. She escaped a dragon trapper and came here. We found her and made her better just like you taught us to do," said Finna, proudly.

Aster looked proudly at his children. "Well done, all of you."

Despite his earlier apprehension, Aster couldn't prevent the pride swelling in his heart at his children's actions. Not only had they performed a great kindness, they'd also discovered a new dragon species and possibly a companion for Toothless.

"She's our friend now," said Zephyr, happily. "And you wouldn't believe the stories she's told us!"

"Luna says she can disappear in the blink of an eye. Isn't that cool?" gushed Nuffink.

"She also said I can be her rider. Can I, Mom? _Please_," begged Valor, as he tugged on his mother's green, woolen shirt.

Still in a shocked daze, Lenora blinked for a moment before snapping back into reality. "What? Yes, of course, sweetie. But we'll talk more about it later."

Valor looked excited at this before frowning in confusion. "Toothless? Are you okay?"

Everyone turned to see Toothless gazing at Luna in shock with tears in his eyes.

"_Luna? Is that really you?_" choked Toothless.

Luna nodded and smiled. "_Yes, it's me. You go by Toothless now?_"

Toothless nodded. While 'Toothless' hadn't been the name given to him at birth, he never spoke of his old name, preferring to go by the one Lenora had chosen for him, no matter how ridiculous some dragons considered it.

"You know her, bud?" said Lenora, surprised.

Toothless nodded again as he smiled one of his biggest smiles ever. "_Luna was my…my childhood sweetheart, as you might say._"

Lenora looked surprised. Toothless had told her many things about his past, but a childhood sweetheart hadn't been one of them. She was happy for him, yes, but also surprised that he'd never once spoken of Luna.

Guessing his rider's thoughts, Toothless explained, "_I never meant to keep secrets from you. It's just…it was hard to talk about because I thought Luna was killed years ago. The memories hurt and there never seemed a good moment to talk about it._"

Knowing how hard some memories could be to speak of, Lenora's face softened with sympathy and understanding. She stroked Toothless' black head, silently letting him know there were no hard feelings and it was okay.

"_I can't believe you're alive,_" said Toothless, to Luna. He cast a look of regret and shame in Luna's direction. As the Alpha dragon, Toothless was supposed to protect and care for his kind and yet he'd failed to do so for the one dragon he'd loved most in the world. How could he ever expect Luna's forgiveness? "_You were a prisoner this whole time? I swear, Luna, if I'd known…!_"

"_Shh,_" interrupted Luna, as she nuzzled Toothless' face. She wasn't angry or resentful, just grateful and happy. "_It's okay. We both thought the other was gone. It's in the past. Let's just focus on the present and enjoy the moment, please. We're back in each other's lives. We should be happy._"

Despite his guilt, Toothless couldn't help but purr at this as he buried his face in Luna's shoulder. "_I _am _happy, more than I can say. I can't believe you're here. I've missed you so much, Luna._"

"_I've missed you too, Toothless,_" said Luna, purring loudly. "_And I'm so happy for you._"

Sensing they might be intruding on a private moment, Lenora offered to give the pair some space for an hour, which Toothless sheepishly accepted. So, while the Light and Night Fury became reacquainted with one another, the Haddock family took a walk through the woods.

"I can't believe it. Toothless has a girlfriend," said Aster, when they were out of earshot. "Do you realize what this means?"

Lenora nodded in agreement. Out of everyone she knew, Toothless deserved this kind of happiness. He'd been alone for so long and had done so much for his kind. The chance to rebuild his species, albeit as hybrids, and to finally have another dragon like him on Berk was more than Lenora could've ever hoped for, for her best friend.

"It means the world to him. And I think it's really sweet," said Lenora, smiling.

Nuffink frowned. "Wait, does this mean Toothless is going to act all lovey-dovey with Luna like you and Dad do?"

"Probably," said Aster, with a teasing glint in his eyes.

Happy as they were for one of their favorite dragons, the children were still quite young and because of this, considered romance to be gross. So, naturally, all four of them groaned and gagged, making their parents laugh.

After another moment or two of pleasant family time, Lenora changed the subject to a more serious matter. "So, Luna mentioned she was imprisoned? Did she say by whom or where?"

If they knew the identity and location of whomever had captured Luna, then there was every chance they could finally put an end to dragon trappers forever.

Valor regretfully shook his head. "No. It really upset her, so we didn't press it."

Lenora concealed her disappointment. "Okay, well, we'll just have to—wait, what's that?"

Everyone looked to where Lenora was pointing and after a moment, found what she was referring too. There, almost perfectly concealed amongst the ferns, was a dart glinting in the sunlight. It had strange markings, markings that caused a twinge of fear in Lenora's heart.

Lenora cursed under her breath.

"What is it?" asked Aster.

"I think I know who Luna escaped from, but I need to check with Eret first. I pray I'm wrong, though. We need to get back to Berk, _now. _And we need to try and persuade Luna to come with us," said Lenora, urgently.

Lenora's family exchanged worried looks at this. This couldn't be good, not in the least.

XXX

Persuading Luna to come to the village was a challenge as the Light Fury had no desire to be among so many people so soon. It was only when the depth of the situation was fully explained and the promise that the Light Fury could hide in one of Berk's safehouses that Luna consented at last. Once that was done, the Haddocks immediately returned to Berk and went straight to the forges where Eret was helping out.

"Eret, I need an identification. Now," ordered Lenora, as she thrust the dart into his hand. "This was used on a female Fury dragon the kids found in the woods. Does it belong to who I think it does?"

Eret's eyes widened and he silently examined the dart before nodding grimly. "I'm afraid so, milady. This belongs to Grimmel Grisly, the most dangerous of dragon hunters next to Drago."

"How so?" asked Aster, curiously.

"Grimmel's the reason the Furies are almost extinct. That son of a bilge rat hunted down and killed almost every last one," explained Eret, causing his audience to look horrified. "More than that, Grimmel was Drago's mentor and adopted father."

"_What?!_" exclaimed Aster, stunned.

Lenora nodded and her eyes dulled with pain. "Drago didn't become so skilled at dragon trapping overnight. After Drago lost his people in the war, Drago wandered aimlessly, letting loose his anger on anything that moved until he ended up in prison. Grimmel found him, saw his potential and since Grimmel wanted an heir to carry on his legacy, Grimmel made Drago an offer: the chance to take away his pain and become a scourge to the dragons if he joined Grimmel. In less than a year, Grimmel transformed Drago into the monster we fought."

Eret nodded, grimacing. "They were like father and son for years until Drago met Lenora. Once Drago fell in love with her, well…let's just say that Grimmel and Drago's plans for dragons and the rest of the world differed. They had a blazing row and split up."

"Thor almighty..." murmured Aster. He ran his hand through his blond hair. "How dangerous are we talking?"

"Put it this way: Drago was a mere savage brute compared to Grimmel. That white-haired scumbag takes a different approach entirely. To Grimmel, the hunt is all a game. He gets into the mind of his prey and when they least expect it, he strikes. What's more, his ego won't allow anything but a perfect record and if he gets the chance to take a shot at Lenora for taking away his heir as well as taking a chance at the Fury dragons, we're all in serious danger," said Eret, seriously. "Mark my words, Grimmel _will _come and when he does, we _cannot _underestimate him."

Lenora placed a hand on her sword's hilt as if she was about to draw it and she looked serious. "Then we won't. We'll be waiting for him."

If Grimmel wanted a fight, then by Thor, he would get one and he would pay dearly for what he'd done to Toothless.

XXX

Later that night, Lenora found herself alone in her house as she poured over the maps.

Though they currently still had no plans to leave Berk, Aster had become more keen on the idea of finding a new, albeit temporary as he'd insisted, home away from home now that the threat of Grimmel was on the horizon. If need be, they would leave Berk and hide until they could rid the world of Grimmel and his cohorts for good.

Lenora's silence was disturbed when the sound of creaking wood hit her ears. Knowing it wasn't just the house settling in, Lenora immediately drew her sword and took a defensive stance as Grimmel himself came into view.

The tall white-haired man was drinking a cup of Aster's cider, which he'd left out on the table. "I hope you don't mind if I help myself. This is quite fine." He made a clicking noise with his teeth when Lenora ignited her sword. "Oh, that _is _impressive, but let me finish my drink."

Lenora blinked and then suddenly, Grimmel drew a crossbow out of nowhere and fired it at the large lump under the blankets.

"Toothless!" she shrieked, as she ran to her friend's side. She glared darkly at the hunter. "What in Queen Hel's name did you do to him?"

Grimmel shrugged nonchalantly as he planted himself in her seat, the Tribe leader's seat. "Eh, nothing he won't sleep off. Now, Chieftess Lenora—oh, pardon me. Do I call you Chieftess? Lenora? Chieftess Lenora? Or would you prefer 'Angel Light'?"

Lenora's glare deepened at being called by Drago's nickname for her and she tightened her grip on her sword hilt, not saying a word.

Grimmel laughed. "You have no idea who I am, do you? Shame. Your father knows of me, as did my former heir, Drago. You remember him, don't you? One of the greatest dragon hunters who ever lived. Did you know just how highly Drago thought of you? Even though you refused him? Drago thought you could be as great as him, if not more. What would Drago think of you, now?"

"What makes you think I give a _crap _about Drago's opinion of me?" snarled Lenora. Once, Lenora thought highly of Drago, considered him a friend and maybe could've loved him had she been given time. But instead, Drago had shown his true colors as homicidal, power-hunger lunatic who had no place in Lenora's life. "He was a lunatic and a murderer."

Grimmel chuckled once more as he made a knowing gesture. "You've got that right. Drago _was _quite mad towards the end, but he got one thing right: hunting down the beasts so we could all live in a better world."

Lenora scoffed. A better world? Grimmel was as crazy as Drago had been. "It's hardly better if one lives under a tyrant like Drago would've been. Drago was wrong. _I _made a better world and even my father believes in it."

Grimmel scowled. "And look where that's gotten them. One's dead and the other's fallen from the height which he obtained." He held up a hand, silencing Lenora when she opened her mouth to argue. "Shall we get to the point? I am the Night Fury Killer. I've hunted every last one of them down save for yours. You're going to give me that dragon or else—"

"I've spent half my life _protecting _dragons and working for a utopia among our kinds!" interrupted Lenora, furiously. "I will NEVER give up my best friend to be slaughtered by you!"

Grimmel laughed as he stood up. "A utopia? You want dragons to live _freely _among _us _like _equals?_ A toxic notion, dear girl. History has shown that _we _are the superior species! Do you not realize that your misguided ideas have spread and begun to undo civilization as we know it?"

Thinking of Mala and how her people had thrived thanks to their dragon whom they worshiped, Lenora knew this to be a lie but before she could say as much, Grimmel's voice wandered off as he realized something was amiss with the dragon he'd just shot.

Grimmel kicked at the prosthetic tailfin and then pulled up the blanket, revealing a load of wool from the season's shearing. Toothless hadn't been shot at because he hadn't been there at all.

"Now!" yelled Lenora.

Quickly, she disarmed Grimmel of his crossbow before performing a leg sweep that knocked him onto the ground. Moments later, Lenora's flaming sword was under Grimmel's chin and the man was surrounded by the rest of Lenora's riders.

"How _dare _you!" hissed Lenora. "You think you can just waltz in here, sit in my father's chair, and threaten my people and my dragon? Who do you think you are? This is BERK! We've defended our way of life from scum far worse than you!"

In spite of the position he was in, Grimmel laughed in a way that chills went down Lenora's spine. "Ooh. A fighting spirit. I think I can see why Drago loved you so much. Only, I'm afraid you've never known anyone like me."

Before anyone could stop him, Grimmel whistled and suddenly, the house was set upon by powerful, acid-spitting, Deathgripper dragons that quickly set the house ablaze. A great fight for their lives soon followed and in the process, Grimmel was able to escape but not before he delivered a dire warning.

"Have my dragon ready by the time I return or I will destroy everything and everyone you love!"

"GRIMMEL!" yelled Lenora, as the hunter took off.

It appeared Lenora's instincts had been correct. Something big and terrible had happened and this time, Lenora didn't know if they could survive it.


End file.
